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Clemson tries to beat BC, win ACC Atlantic

Nov 17, 2007 - 12:01 PM No. 18 Boston College (8-2) at No. 15 Clemson (8-2) 7:45 pm EST

CLEMSON, South Carolina (Ticker) -- Seemingly out of nowhere, Clemson can claim the Atlantic Coast Conference's Atlantic Division crown this weekend.

Tommy Bowden's 15th-ranked Tigers can book a spot in the ACC title game with a victory Saturday over No. 18 Boston College, which also would accomplish the feat with a win.

Clemson (8-2, 5-2 ACC Atlantic) was an afterthought after losing back-to-back games to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech in late September and early October.

But the Tigers have won four straight games since, including a 44-10 rout of defending conference champ Wake Forest last week, and now sit atop the division.

Cullen Harper threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score for Clemson, which seized control of the game with a 17-point second quarter.

Boston College (8-2, 4-2 Atlantic), which was ranked No. 2 in the polls two weeks ago, absorbed its second straight defeat with a 42-35 setback at Maryland last Saturday in which it surrendered 472 yards.

Matt Ryan threw for 421 yards and three TDs but was intercepted twice. He was picked off three times in a loss to Florida State the previous week.

The Eagles have won their two meetings with the Tigers since joining the ACC by a combined four points, including a 34-33 victory on a blocked extra point in double overtime last year.